


Heroes and Villains

by Paige_Turner36



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 4x11 Fix-It, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s04e11 Heroes and Villains, F/M, Gen, Romance, Storybrooke (Once Upon a Time), True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 09:51:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15046349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige_Turner36/pseuds/Paige_Turner36
Summary: 4x11 Fix-It. Belle realises the Dark One has taken over her husband. Can she save Rumple or will she have to sacrifice her happiness to save the town?





	Heroes and Villains

**Author's Note:**

> Original interview for 4x11 promised: “With husband Rumplestiltskin treading ever deeper into morally murky waters, series co-creator Adam Horowitz says that Belle’s “strength and heroism play a key part in the fall finale”.” https://tvline.com/2014/11/17/ncis-season-12-mcgee-abby-personal-conversation-spoilers/.
> 
> This is how the real Belle demonstrates “strength and heroism”.
> 
> WARNING: unintended Frozen references.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. This is for fun and not for profit.

Belle held the gauntlet in her hands. The gauntlet that Rumple had traded to the Queen of Darkness in exchange for her safety. Had it come over with the last curse? Or had Rumple taken it back? He had been acting off since their honeymoon. He’d suffered a lot this last year; losing Bae and everything he’d suffered at Zelena’s hands. She had held off not wanting to pressure him until he was ready to talk to her. But working late? Getting up before she woke up? His evasive behaviour?

She turned the gauntlet over, biting her lip.

_“Why do you need this? With all your power, you could destroy any foe.”_

_“Look, if you must know, it’s about manipulation. And to do that, you must find ones weakness. And for almost everyone, that weakness is the thing they love most. This will simply point me in the right direction.”_

Belle pulled the dagger out of her bag. She felt sickened with herself using this on Rumple; when he asked her to for Emma’s benefit and when she was so blind by fear of everyone finding out what happened between her and Anna that she forced Rumple to help her, and almost got them killed.

_Just this once. Please prove me wrong._

‘Rumple,’ said Belle. Nothing happened. ‘Rumplestiltskin, I summon thee!’ Nothing. ‘Rumple, I need you!’ Belle called, affecting a terrified panicked voice, as if she was under attack. She looked all around the still empty shop. That settled it. The absence of Rumple storming in with a fireball in hand ready to throw at the danger threatening his wife said it all.

The dagger in her hand was a fake.

Rumple lied to her.

Her body seemed to be moving on autopilot as she slipped on the gauntlet, her brain jammed with only one thought: _Show me Rumplestiltskin’s weakness._ The glove glowed gold and moved her arm towards the shop door. In the direction of the library. So the real dagger was in the clock tower. With Rumple? Doing who knew what behind her back?

Belle ripped off the glove and threw it on the floor with a crash and marched towards the door. Then just as she grasped the handle –

_“I love you, Belle. You made me stronger.”_

The last words Rumple had said to her before he sacrificed himself to save her, his son and the town. Love was strength and Rumple’s love for her gave him strength.

_“The object I need is hidden. But I know that with the strength of our love, you’ll find it.”_

He had used the chipped cup, the symbol of their love, as a key to unlock the hiding place that concealed Pandora’s Box. The same light magic as the protection spell. He had called upon her to ask for her help, because he trusted her, just as he trusted her to protect the town in his absence. Because he believed in her.

_“You made me stronger.”_

_“And for almost everyone, that weakness is the thing they love most.”_

_“Almost everyone.”_

Almost. Not definite, no absolutely, not always – almost everyone. For most people the gauntlet would point to the thing a person loved most. It could never have pointed to Belle, because Belle wasn’t Rumple’s weakness. She was his strength. But the dagger? A weapon that could control him, make him a slave to anyone holding it, force him to do their bidding, forced to obey any command and being unable to stop himself – he could kill his loved ones if ordered to. Who could love that? The most precious gift in the world was free will.

_No one decides my fate but me._

Of course the dagger would be Rumple’s weakness. But it was also the Dark One’s weakness. Had she brought back the Dark One? Or had the Dark One consumed him in his grief? Bae had been Rumple’s motivation for three hundred years, the light that had kept the Darkness at bay. Until Zelena snuffed out that light. Over a year locked in a cage, controlled, torture, violated, lost his mind with the desperate act of absorbing his dying son and then to watch him die, and all whilst trying to resist the voice of the Dark One.

How could Belle not see it?

Because she was too busy living in a fairytale. Marrying her True Love wasn’t the end of the story, it was only the beginning. They had been separated so often for so long that she just wanted everything to be okay. But it wasn’t okay. Rumple was damaged and had been trying to keep that pain from her so as not to ruin her happiness. _Conceal, don’t feel. Don’t let it show._ And when her past had caught up with her Belle had tried to cover up her failure and cowardice instead of confiding in Rumple and risk him losing the good opinion he had of her. _Conceal, don’t feel. Don’t let them know._ They had both done more harm than good by not dealing with the problem. And the curse had taken advantage of that.

So the question was: _who_ was up in that tower? Her husband or the Dark One? Or were they one and the same now?

One thing she did know was that whoever it was; he was dangerous and could not be allowed to remain in Storybrooke.

Belle raced towards the library, the clock tower was ablaze with magic. The lift wouldn’t open for her, so she ran up the spiral staircase. At the top she saw Emma and Snow magically frozen in the lift. And above her, beneath a bewildering array of stars was Rumple absorbing the power from the stars, Hook kneeling on the floor and his rotten heart in Rumple’s hand. 

About to be crushed.

‘I’m going to enjoy this,’ said Rumple with relish, his eye alive with malice and a look Belle had never seen before.

There was the real dagger lying abandoned on the floor. Rumple would never be so careless. Hook screamed as Rumple began to crush his heart. Belle lunged for the blade, her brain screaming, _Stop!_

It worked. Rumple’s hand froze and despite all his best efforts, he couldn’t move it. Belle’s heart was pumping very fast as she gripped the cursed weapon harder to steady her hand. This was it. She had to be strong. She needed to be sure, absolutely sure, but she needed to stop this.

‘I don’t understand,’ said Rumple frantically, panicked by the sudden loss of control. ‘Why can’t I?’

‘Because I commanded you not to,’ said Belle, her voice as hard as nails. She _was_ angry about him lying.

Rumple turned towards her, alarmed not just by the sight of her pointing his dagger at him but by his wife catching him in the lie. And yet with a hint of resignation, like he was surprise. That it was only a matter of time.

‘Drop the heart,’ Belle commanded, not taking her eyes off Rumple.

Without looking away from her cold hard stare, Rumple dropped the blacken heart and Hook caught it in his remaining hand.

‘Release them.’

Rumple waved his hand and Emma and Snow unfroze.

‘And now,’ said Belle, fighting the urge to throw up, ‘you can take us to the town line. Because we need to be alone for what happens next.’

Belle was clear on that. She didn’t want anyone to interfere and she didn’t want an audience. With only a brief hesitation Rumple waved his hand, engulfing them in red smoke. When it cleared they were standing in the chilly night air ten feet away from the orange line. Any who crossed that line would never come back. But was she about to make a huge mistake or do the heroic thing and save the town? Even at the expanse of her own happy ending?

_Please don’t make it come down to that, Rumple._

‘Belle, what are you doing?’ said Rumple.

‘Finally facing the truth.’

‘No, please, put the dagger down and let me explain,’ said Rumple, looking at the dagger as if it might sting or bite him.

‘No! It’s my turn to talk,’ she exclaims. She would have her say before she would hear his excuses. ‘Do you remember the first time you saved my life?’

Rumple nodded, afraid of upsetting her more and bound by her inadvertent command to let her talk. She literally held his life in her hands.

‘You traded for me. And I…I thought I saw something in you, something good. Well, I found that gauntlet today and that’s when I finally realised that all the signs that I’ve been seeing were correct. You would never give up power for me, Rumple, you never have. You never will.’

‘No, no, you don’t understand!’ said Rumple desperately. But Belle silenced him with the dagger again, the force of it sending him back a couple of steps and he looked hastily over his shoulder to ensure that dreaded line was still at a reasonable distance.

‘No. You told me that gauntlet could lead you to someone’s weakness; to the thing they loved the most. Do you know where it lead me, Rumple? To the real dagger,’ Belle told him, her heart still hurting that, whether strength or weakness, that gauntlet didn’t point to her, or why would he care if the Queens of Darkness would harm her? Or was she really just a possession that was taken from him? Nobody steals from the Dark One. Whatever the reason, Rumple had the grace to look ashamed by his actions. ‘Your True Love…is your power.’

‘I like the power,’ Rumple admitted, he couldn’t lie. He liked the freedom it gave him, the protection it gave him and his loved ones, the strength – all the things he lacked as a spinner, too weak to protect his son, to save his wife from pirates. ‘But there’s nothing wrong with power. Not when it means that I -’ Rumple stopped himself, looking like he was trying to force something – someone? – back, ‘- that we, that we can have it all!’

The Dark One wanted the world. The Dark One wanted everything. The Dark One wanted more. Because it was never enough.

Whereas Rumple… 

_"But there’s only one of those paths I’m interested in…The one where you and I are together."_

Rumple wanted her. The Dark One wanted power. And it was the Dark One who stood before her, wearing her husband’s face. Which was going to make this so much harder.

‘I just wanted you,’ said Belle, her voice breaking for the loss of her love. ‘I wanted to be chosen. I tried to be everything to you, Rumple. But I wasn’t. You needed someone weak. Someone you could manipulate.’

‘Please, Belle, I’ll make it up to you,’ said Rumple, tears in his eyes, quavering voice, hopeful smile, as if he thought that would win her over. He didn’t even deny her last statement. He was clutching at straws, clinging in any way to avoid his fate. ‘I-I’ve changed once before, I can do it again.’

Belle laughed at his empty words. ‘You’ve never changed.’

She watched him hesitate, long enough to think “what should I do now”, before playing his last card. ‘ _Please_ –’ Pitiful voice, big sad brown eyes and a hand reaching up to touch her cheek – or temple to put her to sleep, to grab the dagger. Whether sincere or tactic Belle didn’t give him a chance –

‘ _No_!’ Belle shouted, forcing him away. ‘It’s too late. Once I saw the man behind the beast…now there’s only a beast.’

The wounded look on his face was predictable, for the beast. But the eyes, she realised with a jolt; the hurt, the pain, the anguish, the fear, the plea - that was her Rumple. The last vestiges of his humanity clawing to get out, the very real fear in the heart of subconscious, the very real knowledge, however buried beneath the surface, _that he is not in control._

His soul was screaming out to her, the man inside pleading with her.

_HELP ME._

Belle closed her eyes, praying to every God that existed that this would work, for both their sakes. She only had one chance at this. Then she raised the dagger.

‘Dark One,’ she said firmly, moving forwards, forcing a terrified Rumple backwards further and further towards the edge of the line. ‘I command you…to leave Rumplestiltskin.’

Rumple’s eyes widened and stopped. Then he convulsed as tendrils of darkness emerge from him at Belle’s command. The Darkness that bound him to the blade. Beginning with the letter ‘R’ and spreading outwards, Rumple’s name was slowly being erased. Which meant the Dark One was still connected to the dagger. If the Darkness was set free it’ll run amok in Storybrooke. Maybe even possess someone else. And she was the closest potential host. Or what was to stop it repossessing Rumple? She ordered it to leave him, she didn’t say anything about not jumping back into him.

She had to act fast.

‘I command you to leave Rumplestiltskin and to leave Stroybrooke.’

The tendrils drifted towards the town line. Then it touched the barrier of the Snow Queen’s spell around the town –

And everything went wrong.

Rumple screamed in pain, clutching his chest, the dagger shook so badly that Belle had to grip it with both hands, and the barrier reverberated like a gong as the Darkness spread out across it in a back mass, its screams mingling with the man it was still connected to.

‘ _Do you really think it’s that easy_?’ said a horribly familiar impish voice coming from out of the dark.

Then he appeared, scales and leather, the voice of the Dark One appeared in imp form between Rumple and its doom.

‘It’s going to take more than a wavy knife to get rid of me, Dearie!’

‘Get out of him!’ said Belle through gritted teeth.’

‘Oh but I can’t. One: I don’t want to. And two: it’s not down to me. It’s down to _him_.’ The Dark One pointed at a shaking Rumple. ‘He has to _want_ to let me go. And he never will, will you, Coward? I’ve been far too thorough with your battered little heart.’

In the blink of an eye the devil with on Rumple’s shoulder, whispering in his ear.

‘I’ve seen your heart…and it is _mine_.’

‘Don’t listen to him, Rumple!’ Belle shouted desperately.

‘I’ve seen your dreams, Rumplestiltskin. And I’ve seen your _fears_ …’

Voices started coming out of the Darkness…

_I was never supposed to be a father. I must let go of the one thing that’s holding me back. YOU._

_You became what everyone thought you were – a coward! Just like your father! You could’ve fought, Rumple! You could’ve DIED!_

_Everyone you’ve ever loved has left you._

_You coward! You promised! Don’t break our deal! PAPAAAAA! NOOOOO!_

_I’m so sorry, my dear Rumple. But I’m not going with you… You told me not to stop until they were on their knees. My HEART was stopping me._

_Sometimes you have to choose power over love._

_You’re a coward, Rumplestiltskin… All you’ll have is an empty heart and a chipped cup._

_This pink squirming little lava that wanted to eat my dreams alive and never stop! Can’t I be free of you?_

_Be a good little Dark One and get back in your cage._

_If you won’t come willingly, what choice do I have? Take me to the Snow Queen._

_You’re a monster, Rumplestiltskin._

_Coward…Coward…Coward… Be a man for once!_

_NO ONE COULD EVER, EVER LOVE ME!_

‘…and no one ever will!’ the Dark One hissed.

‘Please, stop!’ Rumple sobbed.

‘Belle certainly doesn’t. You were right never to trust her with the dagger. How quick she reached for it to force you to do her bidding. Doesn’t she look so much like Zelena?’

‘She’s nothing like Zelena,’ Rumple gasped.

‘Do you really believe that? What about Milah? Left you for a better model. Or Cora? Chose power and ripped out her own heart. Belle’s no different. She chose a stone over a friend’s life; she’ll choose the Heroes over her villain husband. You’ve never been enough for the wannabe hero. How it must have pained her to accept you, Dearie. She never wanted _you_ …she just wanted to _change_ you. Then when you couldn’t, when she saw the real you, what did she do? She left you… _abandoned_ you! Just like she’s doing now!’

‘I love him!’ Belle shouted. ‘I’ll never stop fighting for him!’

‘Lies! Don’t listen to her, Dearie. They all say they’ll be there forever. But they’ve all left you. Even Baelfire died to get away from you. Your Charming grandson loved you out of necessity. Belle sees you for what you really are. A worthless coward. She’ll cast me out and cast you aside. She hasn’t suffered as we have. She doesn’t understand a man you. But I do. I can give you what you want. I’m the only one who hasn’t left you. We belong together. You belong to _me_.’

‘He’s right, Rumple,’ said Belle quietly. She saw the broken look in Rumple’s eyes at her words. ‘I can’t force him out. Only you can do that. You’re going to have to choose: him or me.’

‘It – it’s not that simple, Belle,’ said Rumple.

‘Yes it is!’ Belle insisted. ‘He doesn’t care about you. He’s using you. Come home. Be free of him.’

‘ _Free_? He will _never_ be free!’

‘Rumple, please. I need to know. The dagger was a lie. Does that mean our love was too?’

‘ _No_!’ said Rumple in horror. ‘Never! It was never, ever that! My love for you will never be a lie, Belle.’

‘Then if I mean anything to you…let it go.’ Belle held out her hand, the one where her wedding ring gleamed, whilst keeping him at bay with the other. ‘Be brave, one last time.’

‘Belle…’

‘I don’t want to. But if you choose the Darkness then I have no choice. You won’t just lose yourself…you’ll lose me forever. Are you willing to pay that price? If _you_ help the Darkness, Rumple, nothing will ever stop it. He’ll destroy us all! Please. For you and for me. For everything you are to me and all we’ve been through. Come back to me, my husband.’

Rumple stood in limbo between the Darkness and the Light, staring at her hand. Ready to lead him back home. Then, with what looked like a tremendous effort, he lifted a trembling left arm towards her. His moonstone ring reaching for its twinkling partner.

‘No! You cannot have him!’ screamed the Dark One. ‘He will _never_ choose you over his power!’

‘I’m here, Rumple,’ said Belle softly, maintaining eye contact with Rumple to keep him anchored. ‘I’ve always been here. No matter what you have done to help him, you can still come back to the light. We’re in this together. It’s called marriage.’

The Dark One reached out a hand and seemed to grab something invisible. Rumple seized and his feet dragged him backwards, away from Belle. But Rumple, his face screwed up with fresh determination fought back and stopped just as the heel of his right foot hit the edge of the line.

‘You don’t have what it takes! You’re weak! That’s why I chose you; because you didn’t have the strength!’

‘You – really don’t know – my brilliant wife, do you?’ Rumple panted, fighting both the Darkness and the command to leave. ‘She _gave_ me the strength.’

He dragged his feet as if they were lead weights, one foot at a time, nearer to Belle.

‘Without me you’re nothing!’

‘Without Belle I’m nothing.’

‘She will never forgive you!’

‘I’ll never forgive myself.’

‘You could have everything you ever wanted!’

‘I already have that. Thank you for helping me see that.’

‘If I go, you will _die_! You will be powerless! You will be weak! If you do this, you will have _nothing_!’

Rumple’s fingertips were inches from hers. Belle held her breath, tears falling down her face.

‘On the contrary, Dark One,’ said Rumple, looking at Belle as if she was heaven sent, ‘I will have everything in the world that I desire.’

Then with one final push they grasped left hands. A pulse of gold light shuddered out from their clasped hands, throwing the Dark One over the town line. As it hit the barrier the Dark One, with a look of betrayal on its face, turned to ashes and disintegrated. A gust of wind blew him away and he was gone.

Belle and Rumple were panting, still gripping hands tightly, as if the world would be torn apart if they let go. He chose her. He rejected the Darkness. The situation was forced upon him, but in extremis he chose love. He chose Belle. His wife. His True Love.

Then Rumple stumbled, breaking the spell. His bad leg buckled beneath him, no longer supported by curse or cane, his shattered ankle and the pain that came with it returned in full measure. Belle jumped in and caught him, dropping the dagger in her haste, joining him on the ground. The blade clattered on the tarmac, Rumple’s name erased from the metal, replaced by the black markings, like the tendrils of darkness. Rumple was still gripping her like she might vanish if he let go.

‘Belle?’ said Rumple in a timid voice, looking for validation that this was real, that she hadn’t thrown him over the town line, that he was here on the right side of the line with her. He looked so small.

Belle nodded. ‘I’m here.’

‘ _Belle_ ,’ Rumple broke and hugged her tight.

Belle hugged him back just as tightly. She had her husband back, sobbing as he buried his face in her hair, muttering ‘ _I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry_ ,’ and trembling all over. She was shaking too, she had almost lost him. To darkness, to weakness, and finally to banishment. She wouldn’t have been able to face forcing him over the town line, to have that pleading look of fear and betrayal on the face she loved so much burned into her memory, to see him fall to the ground on his bad leg with nothing but the clothes on his back, to hear him sobbing her name, begging her as he knelt on the cold hard road, alone in the dark. Belle pulled him closer, running her hand over his back and in his soft hair, turning her face into his neck, filling her nose with his cologne and that scent that was all Rumple, reminding herself that he was still with her. That he chose her. That he gave up everything for her.

But she couldn’t pretend that the previous event didn’t happen.

‘You killed Zelena.’

It wasn’t a question and Belle didn’t phrase it as one. Rumple sighed and released her, pulling back so that they were looking at each other. He nodded, but he didn’t apologise for it.

‘She killed my son,’ said Rumple. ‘She tried to kill Snow White’s son. She was going to undo our entire timeline to destroy Regina. All because she was jealous. After everything she did, Regina just let her go. After everything she did to us. Would she have given her a second chance if Henry had died by her hand?’

‘No,’ said Belle quietly. ‘No, I don’t think she would. I hate Zelena for what she did to you. I hate her more than I’ve hated anyone in my entire life. Even Regina and Hook. And I have zero problem with her dying for it, I just didn’t want it done by your hand. Not out of vengeance and not at the expense of your soul.’ 

‘Why not?’

‘Because dead or alive what happened with Zelena will be with you for the rest of your life. She will always be with you and you’ll never move on. Because getting revenge on the woman who killed him…didn’t change a damn thing. You’ll still be waking up in the morning, and he’ll still be dead.’

Rumple’s eyes filled with tears thinking of Bae.

‘I shouldn’t have made you promise not to kill her. I just didn’t want you to give in to the Darkness. And I certainly didn’t think you’d use me as an alibi.’

‘It wasn’t like that,’ said Rumple quickly.

‘Was it real? The dagger you gave me in the shop that day?’

‘Yes,’ Rumple insisted. ‘Belle, I wanted you to have it. I wanted to show you how much you mean to me, that I trust you. If not for Zelena, I would have given it to you along with my heart and soul. But I couldn’t. Not again. I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone having power over me. Not even you.’

‘And in a cruel twist of fate you were right. I forced you to take me to the Snow Queen. And now you’re never going to trust me with the dagger again.’

‘I did give it back on our honeymoon, I swear. Zelena was gone. I wanted us to do it properly. Until I saw that damn hat…’

‘Which you lied about its existence. As I lied about Anna.’

‘I knew that if I could recharge it I could free myself from the dagger. But the Dark One saw it as a power source, such that no one could harm us again.’

‘Recharge? Using magical beings?’

‘The Apprentice. The fairies…Miss Swan. At least while her magic was unstable.’

‘And crushing Hook’s heart?’

‘I didn’t know I needed to until Ingrid told me I was missing a crucial ingredient: the heart someone who knew me before I was the Dark One. But Hook broke our truce long before that, when he used the knowledge about the dagger to blackmail me.’

‘Hook knew the dagger was a fake and didn’t tell me?’

‘The first time it was to get me to help prove Queen Elsa’s innocence. But he pushed it too far when he used it to take personal liberties like giving him his hand back because he thought he might get lucky with Miss Swan.’

‘So what did you do?’

‘Told him his hand was cursed, which gave him permission to slip back into his pirate ways and filmed him on camera helping me hat the Apprentice. When he realised I tricked him into showing who he really is, that’s when he threatened you. I couldn’t let that stand. I know I can’t prove it.’

‘I believe you,’ said Belle. 

She really thought they were past this, but that did sound like the sort of thing Hook would do. After all, he did abandon ship after they’d all been sent back to the Enchanted Forest, only showing up again when Neal sent the memory potion to him. And this wasn’t the first time he’d used her to get revenge on Rumple. He could’ve told her what Rumple was up to, but he didn’t. Instead he’d played on their happiness for his own personal gain. But, ruthless pirate as his was, that still didn’t make it right for Rumple to try and kill him.

‘Just tell me one thing: was it all you, or was it the Dark One?’

Rumple sighed, looking sad and tired and suddenly much older. ‘The Darkness takes hold of a person, finds its way deep inside, where nobody else can see. By the end I couldn’t tell whose thoughts were whose. But I knew exactly what I was doing. I knew I was hurting people. I could’ve stopped, but I didn’t. Not even…when it meant destroying the only true happiness in my life since the birth of my son. For all those reasons, Belle, and a thousand more, I won’t ask for your forgiveness, because I don’t deserve it. I spent every day of our marriage deceiving you, when I should’ve been trying to make you happy. And…I understand if you don’t want to stay married anymore. It’ll be the shortage marriage in Storybrooke history.’

‘This isn’t marriage. This is just practice. We’re saving the real thing for later.’

Rumple looked confused. ‘Practice?’ 

Belle nodded seriously. ‘I’ve never been married. And you’ve never been with a partner who truly loves you. This week was a practice marriage. Things went wrong – _very_ wrong. Our biggest failure: communication. But that’s why we’re practicing – so when it’s time for the real marriage, we can get it right.’

‘Practice makes perfect.’

‘And that’s where we’ve been going wrong. Trying to be perfect. We put each other on a pedestal and neither of us could admit we’re not perfect. I said in our vows we were all flawed and that I loved you for yours. But I’ve never admitted mine. I’m as much to blame as you are.’

Rumple looked shocked. ‘Why? Belle, you did nothing.’

‘You’re right. When you were dealing with the loss of you son, the horrors you suffered at Zelena’s hands, whilst trying to reassure me that everything was fine for my sake…’ Belle shook her head sadly, ‘I did _nothing_.’

Belle pulled off her wedding ring. Rumple let out a little whimper and closed his eyes. He’d rather she’d thrown him over the town line then to see her remove her ring.

‘Ask me again.’

Rumple opened his eyes. Belle was holding the ring out to him as if it were she was proposing not him.

‘Ask me again. Right here, right now. No promises or thoughts of vengeance hanging over you. No Zelena. No dagger. No hat. No Dark One.’

Rumple didn’t hesitate. He took the ring.

‘Belle, I’m powerless. I can’t protect you or myself. I can’t even walk unaided. I’ve made many enemies over the centuries. Now that I’m mortal there’s nothing to stop them hurting me or you. You’ll always have a target on your back. I’ve made many, many mistakes. Done wrongs that must be put right. I wear the heaviest cloak of regret than any man alive. But I don’t regret loving you. Belle, if you’ll have me as I am now, if you’ll still have me…please will you marry me? Will you marry me after everything I’ve done? Will you still marry me after everything I’ve yet to do? Everything I am I give to you. My wife, my light, my True Love, my hero.’

Belle smiled through her tears. ‘Yes.’

Rumple smiled in relief and slipped her ring back on her finger. There’s more to say. There is much more to say and it will take them a long time and many sessions with Archie to work through it all. But together they could do anything.

‘Let’s go home,’ said Belle. ‘Lean on me.’

‘Always.’

Belle would be his crutch, literal and metaphorical. As one they glanced towards the dagger. Rumple looked at Belle, almost asking for permission. At her nod he picked it up. She helped him to stand, but they’d barely made one step down the very long walk back to town when suddenly Rumple gasped and clutched his heart as pain shot through it.

‘What’s wrong?’ Belle asked anxiously. ‘Rumple?’

Rumple didn’t answer, to tell her what it was nor to tell her it was nothing. But he looked scared.

‘Please don’t shut me out again,’ she said gently.

‘This isn’t over,’ said Rumple, turning towards the town line where the curse had vanished.

‘He’s gone, Rumple. He can’t come back.’

‘He _will_. Peter Pan never fails. Wicked always wins. And the Darkness finds a way. We haven’t seen the last of him.’

The Dark One would return and he’d be out for revenge. Revenge on Rumple for rejecting the Darkness after being his constant companion for the last three hundred years. And revenge on Belle, his wife through Rumple, for casting him out of his host and Storybrooke. And Rumple couldn’t protect them. It was his fault it was still alive and it was his fault that he was going to destroy them.

Rumple turned a terrified face to his wife. ‘Belle, I’m afraid.’

Belle stroked his cheek. ‘Don’t worry, Rumple. Everything’s going to be fine.’

*

Six Weeks Later – New York City

_Damn you, Rumplestiltskin!_

Trapped in the form of his last host, with no magic, the Dark One hobbled down the sidewalk on a walking stick he’d found on the side of a road. His dragon-hide leathers were wrinkled and faded under on long winter coat. His wild curly hair was even more wild, like tangled wire. The aura of power that used to emanate from him, instilling fear in the hearts of men when he passed, was gone. People weren’t afraid to bang into him, spit on him, and trip him up without fear of reprisals.

He wouldn’t survive long out here. He'd bought himself a bit of time, but it wasn't enough. He needed magic if he were to survive. He needed to get back to Storybrooke. At least if he were there when Rumple died he’d have an empty vessel to be his meat puppet. The Dark One never asks for help, but whether he wanted to admit it or not, he needed it.

Thank Gods he wasn’t the only one banished to this godforsaken place.

The Aquarium was dark, just how he liked it; the tanks with the marine life drifting within the only source of light. She had to be here. Unless he should check the docks, or anywhere that sold fish and chips, or even the Chinatown fish market? Then he heard the familiar siren call of a desperate Sea Witch.

‘It’s all I got. If you’re not happy about it, try eating each other.’

How the mighty have fallen. Ursula in a jumpsuit dispensing food to the fish she used to swim with. She looked like hell. Recruiting her shouldn’t be a problem.

‘I hear cannibalism is frowned upon in the aquatic world,’ said the Dark One in Mr Gold’s brogue. ‘Or maybe you could tell me differently.’

Ursula turned. ‘Rumple…? No…’ She peered closer. The Dark One decided to save them some time. The brown of Rumple’s eyes were replaced by deep black pools, devoid of emotion. Ursula tensed up. He couldn’t harm her, but at least she remembered he was not to be trifled with. ‘Dark One?’

‘The Gold’s never should have let me out to play. And I just got played by both sides.’

‘How can you exist out here in a land without magic?’

‘Centuries of dark deeds take their toll. Magic can’t be destroyed, just survive in different forms. Let’s just say I took out a long turn deposit in Rumplestiltskin. I live while he lives. Of course if he dies while I’m here, so will I.’

‘Bit of a fall from grace,’ said Ursula taking in his raggedy appearance and limp.

‘I assure you, Ursula, my situation is only temporary.’

‘Really? How you gonna fix that, play the lotto?’

‘I’d like to tell you a story. It’s about heroes and villains. And once upon a time someone decided that the villains always lose. And that only their favourites could redeem. While the rest of us are tossed away and left to rot. But there’s someone who can change those rules.’

‘Who?’

‘The person who made them. For now, let’s call him “The Author”.’

‘Pretentious. I hate him already.’

‘Then let’s go see him. Tell him what we think. Unless you prefer life as a fish food dispenser.’

Of course she wouldn’t. Queen of the Sea or servant to her minions?

‘But if you’re coming to me for help, I can assume it won’t be easy. Who’s standing in our way?’

‘The usual people…The heroes. A meddlesome maid and a spineless spinner – formerly my host and my wife. I’m so anxious to see them again.’

After all he’d done for them and this is how they repay him? And not just them; the Charming’s, Regina and all the other desperate souls, none of whom would have their happy endings without him. Oh, he had big plans for Rumple and Belle. Them and the fake Heroes.

‘Let’s get your things. We’ve two more stops to make…’

**Author's Note:**

> In a perfect world, Neal would still be alive and Rumple, Regina and Hook would be well on their redemption arcs at this point (or if they couldn't do a believable one, Hook should’ve fallen of the edge of the world, never to be seen again).
> 
> But from S4, A&E made Regina their favourite; they had a boner for Hook and condemned Rumple as their go to Big Bad, instead of the Dark One curse. Anything bad they or the Herocrites ever did in the past or the present they made Rumple do - sometimes worse or severely OOC - so that they’d look better and make the audience forget their transgressions. And Belle, Emma and all the other great characters along with this show about ‘Hope’ suffered because of their obsession with Hook.


End file.
